Swedish singer-songwriter, Nicolai Dunger’s legendary work has spanned over 25 years, 22 albums, with well-known collaborations with Calexico, Will Oldham, and Mercury Rev, has been heard on Volvo TV ads, and infamously covered by Robert Palmer on his final album.
In a six-minute folk epic, Nicolai Dunger combines the sentimental storytelling of outlaw country with a slow-burning balladry. “To Be Tough” is a stunning display of a veteran’s talents unraveling at its own pace. Dusty tones leave a bleak cloud of blank canvas that Dunger spins into a wistful portrait of palpable vulnerability. The arrangement morphs like a solstice, the progression of the blaring horns and explosive crescendos build onto the twangy minimalism of the first half of this song. On “To Be Tough”, Dunger paints a colorful portrait of longing with vivid blues and lengthy brush strokes for a folk ballad that glimmers in the dark.
